An Orange County man was convicted on felony charges of sexual assault on a child and sexual conduct against a child. 36-year old Patrick Crowe allegedly began molesting the Congers boy with Asperger’s syndrome in 2010 when he was 8-years old and continued until 2012 when the boy came forward with claims against him. District attorney Thomas Zugibe stated about the recent trial that the boy was able to testify from outside the courtroom, via video, due to the possibility of emotional trauma from the abuse. Zugibe praised the boy’s brave decision to testify and credited the result of a conviction in those actions. Crowe will remain in the Rockland County jail until his sentencing on June 2 and faces 25 years to life in prison.

South Nyack police are warning residents of Rockland county after reports of a recent coyote sighting. According to police on sunday, a coyote attacked and killed a deer in the residential area of Shadyside avenue. Police are asking that if anyone sees a coyote, remember that they are dangerous, wild animals, as well as be aware when walking your pets outside and it is recommended that you don’t let animals outside alone, especially smaller ones. Coyotes are known to travel and hunt in packs, for long periods of time, if you come across a coyote inform the police immediately and they will investigate the area.

According to police a man was arrested on tuesday after pretending to be a police officer. Police stated that 22-year old Eliyahu Medina was driving a black car equipped with emergency lights, bars on the back windows, and a computer mount in the front, to resemble a police vehicle and allegedly followed another car before pulling the driver over to question him about a stolen cellphone. Police arrived just after 1 am and stated that Medina claimed to be an officer, though the other driver informed police that he did not knew about any stolen cellphones. Medina was arrested on a felony charge of criminal impersonation and was released after arraignment. Police are investigating whether or not the man had ties to an emergency response group that would legally allow him to set his car up with lights.

Supervisor of Stony Point Geoffrey Finn recently proposed an additional charge of $2.50 to the entrance fee for the potential LEGOLAND Amusement park in Haverstraw. The park would be located at former Letchworth Village on Haverstraw owned land and taxes would go to the North Rockland School District based on money the park brings in, which has residents asking what type of revenue can be expected. Finn stated that the fee would ensure that taxpayers of Stony Point are receiving compensation for services provided. According to the proposal $2 of the charge would go to the North Rockland School District and 50 cents would go to the town of Stony Point. The LEGOLAND project has received grants from the state for about $3 million, but an official plan for the park has not been released.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey held a press conference at the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack on Monday afternoon, in the wake of a potential loss of funding for the Department of homeland Security. Lowey stated that the decision made by House and Senate Republicans to approve only temporary funding for the DHS, in an attempt to stop the President’s immigration policies would hurt Rockland County in several ways. The county receives various grants equaling more than $1 million that provide resources for emergency situations, including the measures to fight the fears of terrorist actions against shopping malls throughout the country after the recent threat against the Mall of America, and with the department’s approved funding ending on February 27, these grants could fall through. Lowey and a group of 192 cosponsors have introduces a bill that would allow the DHS to obtain a full year of funding, does not include immigration issues, and would ensure funding for communities throughout New York. Another fear that was discussed at the conference was the dangers presented by train cars that transport crude oil on railways through Rockland County. The resources used by the County Sheriff’s Department to prevent accidents happening on the railroads are also in jeopardy with the potential shutdown, such as equipment and emergency drills used to prepare officers. Lowey stated, “Recent and very public rail accidents have highlighted how an inadequate homeland security funding bill would have serious consequences for our local emergency personnel… It is time to end this charade and pass the clean DHS funding bill.”

According to officials a man was taken to Nyack Hospital for treatment of serious injuries on Monday, after his car hit a plow. Fire fighters responded to the accident on Route W in Congers around 7:30 pm and were forced to extricate the 30-something year old man from the vehicle and closed off a section of the road to traffic. According to police the man’s car hit the rear of the New York Department of Transportation plow truck, causing serious damage, and no other cars were involved, with no injuries reported besides the driver of the car.

Assemblyman kenneth Zebrowski and Assemblyman James Skoufis are asking the state to begin immediate repairs on the Palisades Interstate Parkway and will be holding a press conference today with local officials. The Assemblymen are urging that repairs from Exit 10 to Bear Mountain State Park on the Palisades be added to the 2014-2018 Transportation Improvement Plan by the Department of Transportation. Zebrowski’s office stated in a press release that it has been years since the Northern section has seen serious repairs and the increase in commuters has done damage to the road. The conference will be held today at 12:00 PM at the Palisades Parkway visitor center between Exits 16 and 17.

Rockland county is moving forward with plans to build a new facility for the Highway Department, which was originally proposed in 2000 and shut down in 2008 when the estimated price rose to $30 million. According to County Executive Ed Day’s state of the county address earlier this month, the new site would be located off of Exit 14 on the Thruway and would allow more access to every part of the county. The newly proposed site would replace the aging facility located at the New City Government campus, and would include a building for salt storage, a car wash, and a possible natural gas filling station, which Day states could lead to increased revenue for the county. The Committee of Budget and Finance will be looking into the proposal, with the rest of the Legislature to ensure that the new project is cost effective.

Firefighters responded to a call in Upper Grandview on Friday to find a home in flames. Around 1:00 PM neighbors reported that the fire on Route 9W was spreading quickly through the home. According to officials when they entered the home they found nearly $30,000 books stacked against the walls, blocking doors and windows. The books belonged to the owner of the home, Fred Rosselot, who collected and sold rare books. The 82-year old man was injured in the blaze, officials reporting that he was taken to Nyack Hospital for treatment to burns and smoke inhalation. The fire took hours to be put out completely, due to the slope of the hill the house was built on and the freezing weather and ice, as well as the extent that the flames spread through the old books. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire and it appears the home did not have a working smoke detector. Rosselot was provided temporary housing and neighbors have started a Fundrazr page online to help collect money for the man.

Firefighters are reportedly at the scene of a blaze in Upper Grandview off of Route 9W. Piermont, Nyack and Central Nyack Fire Departments responded at around 1:00pm and continue to work to contain the fire where one person escaped unharmed and was sent to Nyack Hospital for treatment. Route 9W from Treeline Terrace to Old Mountain Road is closed off at this time.